A fine Japanese lacquer panel attributed to Kano Tessai (1845-1925), style of Miura Kenya, Meiji period
加納 鉄哉

The finely lacquered large cedar wood panel decorated in high-relief depicting the corner of a ramschakle building of a thatched hut with a dilapitated sudare blind and damaged detached shoji screen, further adorned with pots executed in the style of Miura Kenya (1821-89) lying and standing nearby the building, some still containing bonsai, the bottom right corner bearing a read lacquer seal reading Kan, the reserve with labels for the Greenfield collection, circa 1900

(Quantity:1)

Dimensions: 56.5cm x 80cm

From the collection of Charles Greenfield, New York (label on the back)

The very fine execution and impressive scale of this panel are reminiscent of Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), though the quality of the lacquer work is not up to his impeccable standard. There is a panel with very similar composition by Shibata Zeshin housed in the Sannomaru Shozokan (Museum of the Imperial Collections), collection no. SZK002241 . The technique used for the pots inlaid in the panel is very distinctive in style, particularly seen in the exceptional work of Kano Tessai (1845-1925), notably a pipe case in the collection of Elly Nordskog, illustrated in the Sydney Moss catalogue 'they are all fire, and every one doth shine', no. 92.

Kano Tessai was a Japanese sculptor and painter best known for his finely crafted netsuke, lacquerware, and tea utensils. Born in Gifu Prefecture as the son of a netsuke carver, Tessai was introduced to art at an early age. He studied Chinese literature, painting, and calligraphy at several Buddhist temples, laying the foundation for a lifelong engagement with classical traditions.

Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, he left the priesthood to devote himself to the study of historical artifacts found in temple collections across Japan. His particular interest lay in religious masks, especially those housed at major temples such as Todaiji and Horyuji in Nara. This would later inspire much of his sculptural work. In 1884, he was present at the momentous unveiling of the Kudara Kannon statue at Horyuji’s Yumedono Hall, when it was shown to the public for the first time in centuries. His artistic style was rooted in his bunjin (literati) background, characterised by expressive freedom, improvisation, and a deep sensitivity to age and impermanence.

In 1887, he was appointed professor in the Department of Sculpture at the newly established Tokyo Art School, and by 1890 he was actively teaching. However, he soon resigned to return to his studio practice, continuing to divide his time between Tokyo and Nara. He remained deeply engaged in the Kansai sencha circles, where he worked alongside other artists dedicated to the tea ceremony and its associated arts. His repertoire encompasses netsuke, lacquer, religious sculptures, masks and tea utensils, many of which were meticulously carved from wood and finished with pigments, gold, or polychrome lacquer.